Regardless of his contract situation, Phil Kessel will not be available for the Boston Bruins when the 2009-10 season starts. So there will be an opening on the Bruins’ first line to center Marc Savard’s right.

I agree with Eddie Shore for the most part and voted for Kobasew. The thing is, Krejci likely won’t be ready to start the season either, so that really screws up the Wheeler and Ryder combo. The chemistry piece is the other concern. Savard plays well with Kessel, Kobasew, Sturm, Lucic, and maybe Wheeler. Ryder really only plays well with Savard on the PP, but they only tried to play together early in the year last season and maybe now that he found his grove back because of krejci he would do ok 5 on 5. Bergeron plays well with Sturm, Wheeler, Kobasew, Recchi, and maybe Lucic. Assuming Kessel and Krejci both are missing opening day, I would roll out this lineup:
Lucic – Savard – Kobasew
Sturm – Bergeron – Recchi
Wheeler – Sobotka – Ryder
Bitz – Begin – Thornton
Sobotk may switch with a guy like Hamill who has some offesive touch. I thin this lineup keeps thigs as close as they will be when Krecji and Kessel return and team chemistry wouldn’t be affected too much. Even looking at the lineup i put up there, I would consider putting Savard between sturm and ryder, with Bergy centering Wheeler and Recchi, and Kobasew can play with Sobotka and Lucic, that might bring a little more stability to the 3 lines with Sobotka being a weak link in comparison. I’d leave the 4th line alone, although the tempation to give Bitz more time is a big one. But the need is for a center, and while Bitz has some experience there, he is really more of a winger right now and the only person he might jump in the depth chart is Wheeler like he did in the playoffs. If they have to trade away more than one guy like kobasew or sturm to keep kessel later on, bitz might still have a chance to move up.
Real tough question you have there Matt. You could go with a lot of combos, I don’t envy Julien, being without Krejci realy screws things up, you can absorb the loss of Kessel because you have a lot of wings and versatile forwards chomping at the bit to make the team from providence. but the center position is a more two way position and someone who needs to be able to set up the wings. Being able to absorb that loss right now also doesn’t help kessel’s negotiations. he has to really secretly hope that the offense stumbles without him so Chiarelli feels more compelled to sign him for closer to what he is asking.

They should not break up the krecji – wheeler – ryder combo, as both Ryder and Wheeler had troubles playing on any other line. It definetly shouldn’t be Ryder as he showed he couldnt play on the top line, and is more of a third line player anyway. Paddy is a nice and intruigin option, and I guess I would have voted for him if we had a decent two way center other than him. My vote is for kobesew. lets put sturm back with Paddy. When Phil Comes back he would move into kobesews role and then he could fill in for the player that the Bruins have to get rid of in order to keep kessel on the Roster.